COVID Safety in Wingello

 

Keeping Clean with a welcoming smile

With some restrictions on travel lifting shortly we thought it would be a good idea to explain our implementation of the NSW Health's "COVID Safe" plan.

All businesses in NSW are required to have a completed COVID Safety plan based on the templates provided by NSW Health for each industry. We have been following these guidelines since the start of the restrictions last year. As you can see a lot goes on to keep our customers safe in both general and food safe areas. All our primary staff have completed official food safety supervisor courses.

Business Type:

We are classified as a Critical Retail Premises as both a "Neighbourhood Shop" (including Post Office, General Store, Newsagency, Bank, Fuel) as well as a "Food and Drink premises".

Under the current rules, all are welcome to Neighbourhood Shops and can purchase food for take away at Food and Drink premises. We are not allowed to take bookings or have dining inside for all visitors.

Frequent Cleaning:

We regularly wipe down common areas and surfaces such as door handles, benches and so on with appropriate cleaning agents. All cutlery and other utensils are thoroughly washed in our very efficient commercial dishwasher. Hand Sanitiser is available for customer use on both the Retail and Post Office benches. Staff regularly maintain good hand hygiene as we have always done in line with proper food safety procedures. All toilets have appropriate hand soap and paper towels.

Masks:

All staff wear masks when in contact with customers. 

Customers are required to wear masks unless they have an exemption. In compliance with the NSW Anti Discrimination laws we are not allowed to ask to see a mask exemption so we make the reasonable assumption that anyone not wearing mask has a valid exemption.

QR Codes:

We have QR Code sign-ins on all doors, multiple walls and places in the store so anyone is able to sign in while maintaining physical distancing. We can enter the information directly into the NSW Health web based Sign-In form for the store and also have a manual sign in sheet if the customer does not have the appropriate phone or app. Under the NSW Privacy laws we are not allowed to ask to see the QR Code results so once more we make the reasonable assumption that everyone has signed in. 

Feeling Unwell or in isolation?

Please don't come in. We can make arrangements to drop off supplies you need and help you get through this time. We have helped many in the village who have had to isolate for 14 days over the last 2 years.

Capacity Limits:

Under the 4 persons per Sq Metre rule we are able to have 20 people inside the store and 20 outside. When this drops to 2 persons per square metre we can fit in 40.

We are not able to serve food or drink on site under the current Stay at Home orders so all our lovely food and coffee is only available to enjoy off site. The nearby Casburn Park has a number of bench seats and lovely open areas for a picnic.

Physical Distancing and Ventilation:

We have stickers on the floor indicating 1.5m gaps. We also have the dining bench opposite the main Point of Sale forming a perfect barrier allowing people to move in and out effectively. The shop also has pretty of space and height to allow people to move in and out with ease as well as the side entrance via Maple Lane as an option. With regular opening of doors, a high roof and air conditioners, our air flow and ventilation are very good. Air conditioners are regularly maintained and filters cleaned.

Singing and Dancing:

This is a particular concern for NSW Health. No singing or dancing is allowed and all smiles hidden behind masks - for your safety.

Vaccinations:

We don't care if you are vaccinated or not. As the Prime Minister has said, this is a voluntary informed decision for each person to make for all vaccines and medical treatments. Under the NSW anti discrimination laws we are not allowed to refuse anyone based on their vaccination status or any other medical condition.

See Anti Discrimination Board of NSW

We continue to implement all the recommended "COVID Safe" guidelines in line with the laws of NSW.

Wingello Village Store is open for all.

The people of NSW have been given a plan for the re-opening of our economy.

Wingello Village Store provides many essential services including:

• Post Office
• Banking
• Groceries
• Newspapers
• Fuel
• Great Food

The medical segregation rules regarding "Vaccine Passports" do not apply to essential businesses.

For now, we will continue to only provide takeaway food and coffee. 

Dining In will remain unavailable until all our customers can participate. We have never discriminated against customers regardless of physical, religious or medical grounds and do not intend to start now.

If all goes according to plan, 1st December will be the time for everyone to be able to once more partake of our famous real breakfasts and burgers and enjoy dining in together.

Wingello Business College

 

Over the last almost 12 years we have been helping young people obtain suitable qualifications for a great start to their working lives. Our staff have completed 13 certificate or diploma level qualifications in that time and now Sebastian and Rose are working on their Level III Certificates in Retail.

A Level III Certificate is a higher qualification than HSC and can be used as a pre-requisite to get into university as two of our staff have done.

The work based traineeships are part of the official apprentice/trainee programs supported by various levels of government support over the years. The employer and trainee sign agreements with the Apprenticeships organisation and an approved Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and the Certificate III normally takes about 12 to 24 months to complete. All the units are assessed and every couple of months the RTO visits and goes through the completed units and assigns the next ones.

The work we do at the store is quite broad - retail, post office, restaurant and cafe - and covers all the important areas of food and workplace health and safety, marketing, presentation, basic accounting and business skills, customer service and more. This makes the training very practical and both us and the employee benefit by combining the theory and practice.

As all our full time staff have previously completed their studies, they are able to assist the latest trainees with their turn.

Graffiti is NOT a victimless crime

 

On late Sunday night/Monday morning vandals struck Wingello and sprayed or painted Graffiti on most public buildings and signs. The train station, bus shelters, fire station, park signs, village hall and Wingello Village Store were hit. It appears as if the work was interrupted when they reached the store as we only had a few dots showing they started but then left.

This is the first time in memory Wingello has been hit with this type of vandalism and is is important to understand the impact this has.

One would have thought in this time of COVID-19 the vandals would have stayed home and "tagged" or sprayed graffiti on their own homes!

We take justifiable pride in the visual beauty of our little village. In January we were hit with devastating fires which destroyed a dozen homes and many properties. The villagers have spent the last nine months clearing, rebuilding and regrowing getting a semblance of normality back in our lives as we prepare for the new upcoming bushfire season.

A bright spot was the great result that all our public buildings were spared any damage from the ravaging fires. Until now.

It is difficult to understand the reasons for people that spray rubbish on public spaces. There is no artistic value, no statement of belief, just an infantile scribble saying "I was here!"

It's a bit like a toddler discovering that markers work really well on the walls in the hallway at home. There is similar artistic ability and a similar respect for simple beauty. But toddlers have an excuse. They have not learnt the proper boundaries for living in civilisation.

Somehow these vandals missed on those important life lessons as toddlers and don't seem to have advanced in their understanding since then. 

But I hear people say, "It is just youth expressing themselves. Nothing was broken. We can't be too hard on these young people."

Now that is the problem right there.

Graffiti is NOT a victimless crime.

Leaving it on display basically lets everyone know we don't care about our surroundings. Why bother cleaning up the rubbish or repairing broken windows or fences if we can't maintain them ourselves. How can we get the council, or railways or any other public bodies to invest time and effort if we don't care about our village?

So to bring our village back to where we can enjoy the visual simplicity of our amenities, resources and costs have to be diverted to undo the visual damage.

The Village Store already cleared up their damage after spending money on anti-graffiti spray and time to apply the solution. The same for the fire brigade who would rather be preparing for more important things like training the fine batch of volunteers that have just joined the brigade.

The Council now has to clean up the hall and park and the Railway maintenance crews have to divert resources to clean up the marvellously restored and maintained historical railway station.

These costs and resources have meant other activities are delayed or costs are increased.

We are very fortunate that our village has such a good group of residents who care about Wingello. They are not impressed by the insult imposed on the village and hope that the lovely video footage of the vandals and all the evidence they left behind can assist the Police catching up with the fools. 

But we are resilient after surviving the fires, working together through the challenges of the COVID-19 impact and are getting ready for whatever life throws at us. 

It is great being able to call a place like Wingello "Home".

Keeping COVID Safe in Wingello

We're still ready

The latest rules from NSW Health have been posted on their web site which means we need to add a little bit to our already COVID-19 Safe procedures. We understand that the best ways to slow or stop the spread of the virus (and even the common flu) is to maintain distance, wash hands and clean surfaces regularly. We have been doing these common sense processes since March.

Here are all the steps we are doing at the Wingello Store in line with NSW Health rules:

• The floor stickers are back. These let you know how far 1.5m (5 feet) is. There is plenty of room in the store to keep a safe distance, but still catch up with local news.
• All customers dining in need to fill in the COVID-19 contact sheet. This is maintained for each day and will only be used IF there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the store. At present there are NO known COVID-19 cases in our postcode 2579 (Bundanoon through to Marulan). Each person needs to write their name and contact number. Take-away or general customers do not need to sign in.

Contact list right next to the hand sanitiser

• Hand Sanitiser is available for all customers and visitors on the main counter and the Post Office bench. Most of this has been provided by Australia Post as part of their ongoing efforts to keep staff and customers safe.
• There is much greater than 1.5m (5 feet) distance between tables inside and outside the store. The central bench has no chairs, but it does serve as a good physical distancing device.
• Groups dining in can be no larger than 10 people.
• NSW Health asks for one dedicated COVID-19 Safety Marshall. ALL our staff are trained in what is required and we all will be ensuring that safe procedures are being followed, tables and menus are cleaned and sanitised and so on.
• Under the 4m2 rule, we can have 20 people inside and 20 or more outside. Also, most of our eating areas are separated making our store even better.
• We registered as a COVID Safe business 2 weeks ago.
• Menus are provided by us at the main counter. When returned they are cleaned and sanitized.
• Salt, pepper, sugar, sauces and other condiments are provided as required and once returned are cleaned. The tables are pretty boring now.

We continue to take our responsibility as the Post Office and Village Store seriously and always work to ensure the safety of all our staff and customers, not only in regards to the current virus, but also food and work safety.

Thank you to everyone for your great support!

The Stonemason's Trail

Since 2004 Ken McDonald has been creating artistic features throughout the Southern villages of the Southern Highlands in NSW. From solid pieces of local Sandstone Ken has shown his ability to draw out incredible images of local flora and fauna.

In July 2020 we have created The Stonemason's Trail for visitors to the Southern Highlands to experience these sandstone pieces of art up close.

Take your time and enjoy the lovely scenery as you explore the local animals and plants immortalised in sandstone starting in Wingello, through Penrose and ending in Bundanoon (in reverse works too).

Kenneth the Cockatoo

1. Kenneth the Cockatoo

Wingello Village Store

WingelloVillage Store hosts the largest carving of the collection - a 2 metre tall carving of the local Wingello yellow-tailed black cockatoo hungrily attacking a banksia nut. Detailed front and back, starting as two dimensional at the bottom and ending three dimensional right around the top you can almost hear the cocky gnawing away at the banksia tree nut. It is in the perfect position to see all the fine detail in the stone.

Christmas Beetle

2. Christmas Beetle

Penrose Public School

While sitting at his table one Summer, the inspiration for this bug crawled into Ken’s kitchen. It started as a scrap piece of stone from the quarry and was donated to the school by Ken for the children’s education and enjoyment.

It is in the gardens of the primary school.

Elizabeth the Lizard

3. Elizabeth Lizard 

Penrose Road/Willis St, Bundanoon 

Sponsored by Bundanoon Sandstone, this took over a fortnight to create in 2005. It started as huge 9 ft tall block until Ken discovered a crack after 2 hours work! “Lizzy" was a Bundanoon Community Association (BCA) idea.

Banksia

4. Banksia Serata

Nancy Kingsbury Memorial Park

A native carving was desired and this lovely carving of the Banksia Serata fit the bill.

Gangang Cockatoo

5. Gangang Cockatoo

Bundanoon Train Station

The BCA wanted a Cockatoo carved out of stone. Once more Bundanoon Sandstone sponsored this work of art.

Wallace the Wombat

6. Wallace the Wombat

Railway Ave/Brigadoon Drive

Wallace is very popular and is often decorated at various times during the year.

A lot of persuasion was put on Ken to make another wombat. The base was an interesting piece of stone lost at the back of the quarry.

Lyre Bird

7. Lyre Bird

Railway Ave/Erith Road

The Lyre Bird was the first crafted in this series, created in 2004. Ken went through over 10,500 images of Lyre birds on the internet, followed by 362 drawings to get the right inspiration. It takes a lot of work to get something this effective.

Echidna

8. Edna the Echidna

Welcome to Bundanoon

In 2008 Ken had a severe attack of shingles and lost over 30% of his body weight. But he was still able to complete this Echidna which is very popular with the children.

This was the idea of the Bundanoon Green Team.

About the Stonemason's Trail

The Stonemason's Trail is sponsored and created by the Bruggeman family of the Wingello Village Store. We have enjoyed the many sculptures created by Ken and wanted others to share that enjoyment.

You can start the trail from the North or South and travel along a straight route. The map shows which side of the road the statue is placed.

Ken posing with Wallace the Wombat at Christmas

Ken McDonald has been local in the Southern Highlands all his life. If you get the chance and meet him in the area, shout him a coffee or drink and let him regale you with his fascinating stories about his life in the Highlands.

We're back and ready for Breakfasts

Welcome home

We are ready for the re-opening stage of the Coronavirus restrictions.
The floors are all beautifully polished (Thanks Danny!) and the front walls are patched and repainted too (Thanks Brendan and Sebastian!).
The temporary changes where everyone used the side doors are now a pleasant memory and we have access to all our store.
The first stage of the Coronavirus reopening restrictions means we are limited to only 10 people dining in at any one time. We still have full takeaway. Under the 1 person per 4 square metre rule we could fit 20 people in the store, so 10 people is easy. We have arranged tables so there is plenty of space.
Our safety measures include:

• Our menus will be handed to customers and once the order is placed, the menus will be sanitised with appropriate alcohol based sanitiser.
• We have a white board recording how many are currently dining in. When it gets to 10, it's take away and as people leave, we can accept more in-store dining.
• Our dishwasher is magnificent and cleans the plates and cutlery with water so hot that it steams upon exit and they dry themselves.
• We will continue to regularly wipe down surfaces and common areas.
• There is plenty of space to maintain the 1.5m "Social" distancing. It is really physical distancing as we are a pretty social lot and chatting from 5 feet apart is still quite friendly.

Grande Breakfast

Now we can dine in, our breakfasts are back on the menu. We know many of you have been waiting for a real breakfast for a while and we will be ready from 7:30am Friday morning 15 May.

The Great Reset

Even Wallace the Wombat is affected.

2020 will be famous in future history books for "The Great Reset". That is what I am calling this historic time of change from what was before (about 4 weeks ago) and what will eventually take its place in how the world works. The economic, social and personal spheres of life will no longer be the same as what it was.
This Reset has been coming for some time. Back in the 1930's, during the time of the Great Depression, many commentators realised that the existing economic system had fault lines built in and couldn't last. In basic terms, economics is the study of how the fruits of a society are distributed between labour, capital and property. In times past, labour has been most important and in many areas land (property) is vital, but since the rise of the industrial age and automation, capital has been a driving force. Our economic models however are still based on the balance between labour and property and have not adequately compensated for the rising influence of automation (capital). Agriculture used to require about 80% of the population and at times we still had insufficient food. In later years manufacturing involved a large percentage of the working population. Now these two major sectors providing all the food and products we need take only a small portion of the working population.
The last hundred years or so has seen the playing out of a system that did not match the reality of what we were experiencing and it had to change. There are many ways it could have happened, but a self induced resetting of the world around us in response to the Corona Virus is how it has happened. It could have been much worse.
You may think the Corona Virus is little worse than the flu, or believe it is closer to the Black Death. You can believe it is all a conspiracy by one group or another or just the result of human fear and populism. It doesn't really matter. The end result is the same. The world as we knew it is now no more and will never be the same again.

This is not a bad thing.

We now have the opportunity to re-evaluate all the important things in our lives. In the past (4 weeks ago) everyone was busy devoting most of their time and attention to less important things - careers, prestige, holidays, distractions and adoration from strangers. The important things like knowing and loving those we live with, our neighbours and our communities were at best an after thought to which we gave minimum attention.
Humans are designed to be personal beings. We come into the world a product of a mother and father and start helpless, depending entirely on the love of our parents. Now that we are forced to be at home and not travel or go outside our domestic structures for validation and attention, we are beginning to learn more about ourselves and those we live with. We are seeing a great many examples of care for others in many communities around the world.
As most parents are now forced to be at home all day with their children and are experiencing a new "School at Home" situation, this will develop into a better "Home Schooling" lifestyle where the most important subject will be getting to know each other better and sharing the life education journey together. This is not all about completing workbooks and assignments and on-line research. A true education is understanding who you are and the people and world around you. In the past the parents would be rushing off to work, the children sent to school or care centres with very little time to just be together. Now is the opportunity to know each other, observe your own strengths and weaknesses in your children and together work on the strengths and improve the weaknesses. After all, you're all in this together. The first month forced together is hard as you learn how to share a life rather than just a house. This sharing of family life transforms the house into a home.
In Wingello, we had the mixed blessing of bushfires rage through our village, destroying homes and damaging many properties. No one died or was injured in the fires and having survived an existential crisis as a village, the community bonds became stronger. Our neighbours, many of whom before the fire were a mystery, became real people who suffered along with us and joined with us as we worked on rebuilding our homes and village. The fires in a unique way gave us a bit of preparation for the Great Reset.
After the Great Reset a great many businesses, both large and small, will never come back. The combination of debt, rent and labour with thin margins will not survive the stopping of trade.
In coming years you will be explaining to your grandchildren what life was like before 2020. They will be amazed and be disbelieving as you explain how life was in how you earned a living, travelled around the world yet didn't know your neighbours, willingly went into huge debt and more.
I am not saying I know how it will all fall out and what the end result will be. The only thing I am sure of is that all the current predictions will be incorrect and the world will be an amazing and interesting place with a wide variety of new economic systems replacing our current system which is like a house of cards from which the bottom card has been removed. We have plenty of food and manufacturing capacity to provide everyone's wants and needs - it is just a matter of appropriate distribution and incentives to make it all flow properly.
As you are now living in a Historic Event, take the time to record your experiences in some sort of journal, either manual or electronic. Write down what you are experiencing, what you expect and hope, how your life is unfolding. Future historians will be looking back on 2020 and The Great Reset to understand what life was like.
This is what it is like living in a Historic Moment.
Be thankful for what you have, enjoy life and take advantage of what you are being offered.

Re-connecting and Preparing the family

Gather round me hearties!

In challenging times it is important that everyone in the family is prepared as best they can be.
In December, as the fires approached and posed a definite threat to our village, we used the time after dinner to have a number of family meetings. We normally use this dinner and after dinner time for often wide-ranging discussions of everything from what we did that day to favourite movies or foods or anything.
In our crisis family meeting we have a more serious topic to discuss. In the case of the imminent fires we went through what was happening, what the threats were, our plans for defending the home and shop, what we would do if things didn't go according to plan and so on. As all the family was involved and they all were able to add in their comments and questions we were able to develop a good plan with multiple contingencies. As events turned out that worked very well, as we went from Plan A to Plan B and Plan C and evacuation very quickly. There was no confusion as we had already mapped out what we would do and followed the plan as we reacted to the changing conditions.
We are doing the same with the Corona Virus and economic restrictions that are designed to reduce the spread of infection.
In this case we had to cover quite a wide range of information, firstly about what the virus is and how it spreads and then the economic impact.

Corona Virus (COVID-19, also know as the 'Rona)

This is like the flu and spreads in a similar manner but has potentially deadly results, especially for people with pre-existing conditions. The sanitation and social distancing rules will help with any flu and should help to reduce transmission. One of the biggest problems that is being observed overseas is that up to half of those with the virus show no symptoms (asymptomatic) and we are only testing those that show symptoms. It is early days yet and no-one knows the full extent of infection, illness, death and recovery rates or anything as all the numbers are incomplete or polluted or made up (in some countries). All we know is that this can be deadly, especially for older people and those with other conditions, and is virulent. So we do our bit to keep everything and everyone as clean as possible and reduce places and means of transmission.

Economic and family impact from the Restrictions

The more immediate impact for us is the change in the economy. A great number of people are now unemployed. Most businesses are at risk of closing and many will never return after the end of the restrictions. My consulting business income is down 75% and the store is down 20% so far. As a family this means changes and we have discussed the impact. Our expenses are also down and our home running costs are very reasonable.
There are no more family outings which makes the loss of the family van less of an impact.
Luckily we are in Wingello, which makes staying at home much less of a drama than it is in places with a higher density of people. We can go for walks, do gardening and have space to do so much more. The store is a safe place to visit with our various measures in place and with delivery no-one here needs to be isolated.

Re-connect your family

In past times (i.e. 3 weeks ago) life was much busier and everyone in the household was going here and there and doing this and that. If you added up the actual time the whole family was in the house at the same time and not forced to do something else like homework or other work, it wasn't a lot of contact time. Now is the time to re-connect and get to know each other better. We are finding dinner time discussions - whether on more serious topics or just the normal wide ranging discussions - are an excellent way for the whole family to connect. The younger children listen in and often pop in a question or comment which adds to the conversation. Sometimes the comment is silly, but still funny and adds to the enjoyment of family time.

So, don't waste this time. If we are forced to slow down, take advantage of the opportunity and do what you have always been meaning to do.

How we are handling the Coronvirus Restriction - 30 March 2020

We can do this!

The latest restrictions to restrain the spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19) - also know as "The 'Rona" have been announced by the Prime Minister yesterday evening. We have also been paying attention to our customers and the Health Department to make sure we employ the best practices to continue to provide the best service we can to our village.

We are an Essential Service

Firstly, we will continue operating for the duration of these challenging times. The Wingello Village Store is an essential service in six different ways:

• Post Office
• Banking
• Fuel (Unleaded 91)
• Newspapers
• Groceries
• Food (Take Away only now)

Corona Virus Safety Measures

All of us are very conscious and practice the proper food and work safety, with all managers qualified as Food Safety Supervisors. Added to this are a number of new health based procedures as recommended by the Australian and NSW Health Departments.

Hop this way and go out that way.

1. Social Distancing. We have lovely stickers placed on the floor at 1.5m (5 ft) intervals. You can come in one way along the main benches and exit around the central bench area past the groceries to exit. We have plenty of space inside to accomodate customers using the 4m2 rule too.
2. Cleaning - we regularly clean and wipe down all surfaces, door handles and other areas commonly touched by customers.
3. Cash - we still accept cash. But to reduce risk, we have a dedicated person handling cash and post who does not handle coffee or food. All cash is placed in a small container between the customer and the cashier to reduce risk of inadvertent contact.
4. All staff are now from our household. The reduction in business and general safety has meant we have had to lay off Becky for the duration. The only exposure we have to non locals is the once a week magical mystery shopping trip by us as we go to multiple supermarkets in Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale doing our Noah's Ark shopping (2 of this, 2 of that and so on) until we can meet our requirements.
5. Closed front door - We cannot have the front door open as there is too much wind and dust from the train line which will affect our food safety and quality. The door pushes in, so feel free to back in or use your shoulder. On the way out use your hand or roll down your sleeve. We do wipe down the door handles very often.
6. If you have any flu-like symptoms - Don't come in! Stay home and we can come to you.

Trading Hours

We have changed our trading hours. We will now be operating from 8am to 3pm every day. The hours after 3pm on weekdays have not been generating sufficient income to justify the wages. Much of our business is derived from Truckies, Tourists and Tradies. All three groups are now greatly reduced as most people move into isolation and are no longer travelling. We will continue to offer services so long as our patronage continues. This will be reviewed in the coming weeks.

Deliveries

So called "Single Use" bags are fashionable again

We can do deliveries. If within bike riding distance Martin, Rose or Clare will deliver by bicycle, or if further we will use the car.
The best way is to open an account with us and make a deposit. Then when you require anything we can put it against this account and bring out your order.
We will use new so called "Single Use" plastic bags for your orders. These bags can then be used as rubbish bags like we all used to do.
The order will be placed just outside your door, then we'll knock or use the bell to let you know we're there.
We cannot deliver just your mail as we are not allowed as part of our Australia Post agreement. However, if you buy something else (milk, eggs, bread, newspapers, lollies food, etc) we will bring along the mail with us.

On your bike, Martin!

The important thing is that even though you are isolated - either by choice or direction - you do not have to be trapped. We can provide you with necessities and if there is something you need, we can do our best to pick it up when we go shopping.
Contact us by Email, Telephone or Messenger.

So there you go.
That's our current plan - until things change again!
Remember - you're not alone in Wingello.

2020 - Together we will win

2020 is the year we get to face more than one existential crisis.
(Existential Crisis means threat to our existence or basis for our way of life)

We faced the fires together

We Survived the Fires

In December we had the looming threat of fire hanging over our heads. We had seen it ravage many other places throughout New South Wales and other States and as the month progressed, the fires were approaching from North East and South West. Then on New Year's Eve we had the preview and warning where thick smoke and some ash blanketed our village. (Here is an overview of what we faced then.)
Then on 4 January the fire leapt across the Shoalhaven Gorge and slammed behind our village with full force and it was on for young and old. Through incredible bravery and fortitude our village fought and defended Wingello, losing some houses and many fences, sheds and yards, but no loss of life or injuries. (Our share of this fight is here)
Then to continue the Miracle of Wingello our little village came together strong and worked to rebuild and support each other wherever we could.
January was then a period of rebuilding amidst the constant threat of more fire attacks. The following Saturday 11 January was another close thing where the fire began advancing on four different fronts until the forecast heavy winds ended up being much gentler and stopped the fire fronts with a "Not today" breeze pushing the fire back on itself. The rest of the month was a series of ominous hot days, winds and controlled hazard reductions around Wingello and Penrose until finally we had the downpours of rain in February and the fire threat was lifted.

Armed against the Corona Virus

We will Survive the Virus

The current situation with the threat of an invisible enemy, Corona Virus or COVID-19, is similar. Once more we are threatened with an enemy which can change our existence. We are following the recommended defence guidelines (as we did with the RFS Fire guidelines) through:

• Isolation
• Social Distancing
• Frequent hand washing
• Cleaning of all shared surfaces regularly

Our normal way of life is changed and we chafe under the restrictions. We can't see friends, attend church, birthdays, funerals or weddings.
But we have already been through one crisis and can see that together we can get through this one. We now know our neighbours and have faced a common enemy, the fires. We have seen that despite some differences they are quite small compared to the more important fight we face.
Now that we know our neighbours and fellow villagers we are seeing so many acts of generosity and fellowship. Hearing someone is in need of that rare treasure, toilet paper, many of us are sharing. If our elderly neighbours are in self isolation, we are keeping contact.

Local Businesses Really Are Local

Suddenly the rest of the world is discovering the resilience of the smaller local businesses, those that have a stake in their location. They are the ones that provide sponsorship and support and attend local events. The big companies talk of doing the right thing even while they underpay their employees and suppliers, buy up all supplies so smaller competitors cannot get a look in, and then proudly proclaim their caring nature.

Keeping up our spirits

Small and medium businesses provide the bulk of employment in Australia - much more than the large corporations. Those large corporations which get so much support from the government have been shedding staff and reducing core services for quite some time. This government mandated short term cessation of the bulk of the economy affects all businesses and is throwing many many people out of work.
The NSW "support" package is ALL aimed at larger companies. Most small and medium businesses are not paying Payroll tax.
You can make a difference by supporting all the small businesses that are still operating. They are employing people and supporting their local communities too. The money they make goes right back to the locals and your neighbours.

Support Each Other

Most of us - just add Ariel and James

By supporting each other as individuals we can make a huge difference. We have seen so many individual acts of kindness and support following the fires that we know that same supportive nature in Australia will triumph during these challenging times.
Make sure your isolated neighbour is OK. Offer to get some groceries for them. You can still converse with each other from over 1.5m (5 feet) distance.
Together we will get through this challenge. Our great response to the Fires show us that.

How we are handling the Coronvirus Restriction - 24 March 2020

Cleaning, distance and safety

The Prime Minister announced a new round of restrictions we are to follow in an attempt to contain the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19).
Basically everywhere that groups gather has been cancelled. The key line is "Stay at home unless for Groceries, Exercise, Medical needs, Care/Support, Work that cannot be done from home."

At the Wingello Village Store we continue to supply essential services of:

• Post Office
• Banking
• Groceries (Bread, Milk, basic supplies)
• Newsagency
• Take Away food

The latest directive by press release

To make sure everyone remains safe under the NSW Health recommend protocols we are:

• Wiping down all surfaces on a regular basis
• Dedicated person handling cash and mail.
• Crosses on floor to mark 1.5m (5 feet) distance (Social Distancing)
• Anyone with flu symptoms is not permitted in the store.

This means the outside dining areas are closed.
You can contact us by

• Phone (02 4884 4340) or 
• Email (wingello@gmail.com) or 
• Messenger @TheWingelloVillageStore

If you have a Post Office Box here, you can sign up for Mail2Day which means you will get an email letting you know you have mail in your PO Box. It is a free service.
We still have a few small PO Boxes available. If you hand in the application form here, we can arrange a reduced fee rate of only $40 a year plus a $20 establishment fee. Don't apply online or you will be charged the full rate of $135 plus $20!

We have regular deliveries of bread, milk, meat, eggs and other supplies.
You can order from Marulan Meats and they deliver here on Wednesday and Friday.
If you want to ensure bread, let us know by 1pm on Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday as Bryants delivers to us on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

We can continue to support you so long as everyone supports us. That way everyone wins in these challenging times.

Rolled but not Defeated!

At rest after a flip and a half

On Tuesday 17 March, Lana was driving back from Albury with Sebastian and we were expecting their return around 6 or so. Then I received a phone call from Sebastian at 4pm telling me they had been in an accident and Lana was bleeding but there were emergency people in attendance.
I immediately left and met them at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital around 7pm.
What had happened was Lana had a micro sleep and started swerving. Overreacting when trying to correct the drift, the van lost control and spun around 180 degrees now facing South. However, the momentum of the van moving a 110kph (70 mph) meant the van went sliding sideways through the median strip until it came to the upwards slope on the inner side of the South bound lanes. The van then flipped in the air, slamming down on the drivers side. Lana hit her head against the collapsing driver door, smashing her glasses and getting an impact cut on her head. The van then flipped another 180 degrees to land on the passenger side and slid across the road to end up on the far side of the South bound road.
Once the van had stopped Lana was hanging in the air kept secure by her seatbelt. She looked down at Sebastian and saw blood was dripping on him from her head. She put a hand up to stop the bleeding but the blood didn't stop. Sebastian passed up some serviettes which didn't do much to stop the blood. Head wounds are notorious for profuse bleeding.
On the busy Hume Highway no other cars or trucks were involved.

My first view of Lana

However within moments a truck driver, nurse, doctor and fire brigade fellow who all happened to be passing by, stopped and gave assistance.
The truckie was first and helped pull out the smashed front windscreen, letting Sebastian escape.
Once he was out, Lana undid her seat belt and fell to the passenger seat and crawled out the broken front window.
By now the nurse was on hand and quickly lay Lana down and examined her. The nurse kept telling Lana not to go to sleep and asked her all the standard concussion questions. The doctor checked Lana's progress and the Truckie and Fire Brigade guy checked the car for any potential fire damage.
Police and Ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. Lana heard one of the Ambulance fellows comment hat Sebastian was really cool reporting what had happened on the phone to me. He did very well remaining calm in an emergency.
The paramedics offered for Sebastian to go in a separate ambulance, but he diplomatically requested to go in the same ambulance as Lana. Sebastian looked pretty horrid covered in blood that wasn't his. His main injury was a cut in his finger which ended up requiring 3 stitches and a number of minor bruises and cuts.

The van at the wreckers

I arrived at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and tracked down Lana. My first view was seeing her lying on the emergency bed with head bandaged, blood everywhere and a neck brace that stopped her moving her head. But she smiled when she saw me which was a great sign.
After much poking and prodding and tests the doctors discovered no bones broken, no sprains or spinal injuries. She had a small cut near her eye and eye brow caused by her glasses disintegrating when the van smashed into the ground the first time.
The cut on her head was pretty ugly, but after a lot of cleaning away of dried blood and a good shower, they checked and there were no foreign bodies in the cut and were able to glue all the edges back together.

Crushed but still roughly in shape

Lana has lots of bruises and a sore head, but is otherwise OK.
So what have we learned?

The remains of Lana's glasses

• When you feel tired, pull over!
• Modern vehicles are really quite safe. Even though the Ford Transit Van is 13 years old, it was still designed well enough to retain basic body shape despite a roll or two.
• Seat Belts save lives!
• The generosity of strangers is once again refreshing to see. All the immediate passers-by stopped and rendered assistance.
• First responders are once again excellent. Ambulance and Police were on the scene very quickly.
• Wagga Wagga Base Hospital is amazing. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and supportive. They let me wander from bed to bed as I first saw Lana and then went to make sure Sebastian was doing OK and then back again. Many times!
• It is really good having supportive family. Once the "Go" button was pressed we all went into action. I drove down, Peter covered for me wth clients, the others moved around shifts and organised dinner and all the normal things Lana or I would have done. Then when James had to come down the second day to help collect all the stuff that was in the van, we moved all the work shifts at the shop. 

So now, we have to plan for a new family van with 12 seats in a few months or so once the insurance money comes in and we save the difference. All in all, a rather good ending to what could have been much much worse.
2020 - so far so good.

Wingello and the Coronavirus

We will clean everything!

The Coronavirus (officially called COVID-19) is increasing its spread through Sydney and other areas of Australia, with 134 confirmed cases in NSW alone. (Up 22 today - 15 March)
Australia has 249 cases and 3 deaths.

This is NOT just another flu. It is spreading fast and based on the experience in other countries can have serious repercussions for up to 20% of those getting infected, including death (1% to 4%) and permanent loss of lung capacity. Australia has excellent medical facilities but we want to ensure we do not overload them. To do that we need to limit the infection rate and spread of the virus.
That is why we are getting increasing levels of containment and mitigation attempts. No static events for 500+ people, self isolation of all people returning from overseas and more.

What are we doing in Wingello?

We want to make sure the people of Wingello are able to continue life and minimise the chances of getting the coronavirus.
The store is well designed with plenty of space and area in which to move. We are continuing the cleaning of all benches and handles and areas people would touch throughout the day.
If you are sick or in self isolation, stay home. Call us and we will deliver your mail and any supplies you may need.
As a full Post Office we have banking facilities for most banks - deposits, withdrawals and so on. No need to go to Moss Vale or Bowral.
If you need something and can't get out, let us know. We can add some things to our shopping list as we replenish each week. Woolworths Online delivers to Wingello too. (https://www.woolworths.com.au)
We are working with our local suppliers to ensure deliveries and supplies continue through whatever occurs. We have also minimised our contact with others - also known as Social Distancing - to minimise the chance of spreading the virus. No hand shaking. Just the classic Wingello Nod and "G'day".
Popping in to the shop for something to eat is also easy as we have lots of places all separated so you can maintain the recommended distance of 1 metre between groups. So this means Social Distancing does not mean isolation.
We have learned from the fires in January that Wingello has a great community and we can work together to get through anything. We are still rebuilding from the fires and being in self isolation does not mean staying indoors. Going for a walk in the lovely fresh Wingello air and working in the garden are both great ways to get the most out of this forced holiday.

Some important reading matter:
Australian Health
NSW Health
Coronavirus: Why you must act now

In Case of Fire

Not to be put too far away in the Bushfire Season

Now that we have had such lovely rain and all the fires near us are out, it is timely to remember we are still in the Bushfire Season until end of March. So with all the practical experience we have had this year, we have created our special "In Case Of Fire" box which we will put somewhere safe in case of need.
We have learned that these items are very important if we intend to stay and defend, but also the fire may come without much warning.
In addition to this box we will also need:

• a non flammable hat or helmet
• Woollen or Cotton clothing covering all areas of skin
• Good non-flammable/non-melting closed shoes or boots
• Batteries for torches and lights
• First Aid kit that is appropriately stocked

What's in the box?

• Smoke Masks - P2 rated or higher. These are disposable and you should have more than one per person. Enclose them in a plastic bag to make sure they remain fresh and ready for use.
• Safety Goggles - enclosed so that smoke won't get in your eyes. When the fires are nearby, the smoke is very thick and your eyes are instantly irritated. Keep some eye drops in your medical/first aid cabinet.
• High Visibility Vests - these are important so others can see you better. This is because you should not fight fires alone!
• Gloves - leather or otherwise flame proof. Embers and branches will be hot and you want to protect yourself.
• Glow Sticks - We used these to place around the ends of hoses and other important fire fighting gear. When the flames are close and embers are thick it is almost like daylight at times, but when it is dark and you need to find the hose or bucket, glow sticks work well. Don't use red or orange as these are confusing!
• Lights - Headlights were very useful so wherever you looked you had better light. A good torch also helped for longer ranges.

Bushfire Survival Plan

The other really important thing to have is a Fire Plan. Discuss your plan with the whole household and review it together. We did this a number of times before the fire and it meant when the call was made to retreat, we all knew where to go and what to do. In times of danger and uncertainty, a well understood plan can make all the difference between safety and tragedy.

Council Encourages Fiery Fingers of Death

As we review the damage caused by the fires that swept into Wingello on Saturday 4th January, we can see the impact of decisions taken over the preceding years.

The fiery fingers of death raged along the
Council's unmaintained roadsides

The RFS Information Is Excellent

The Rural Fire Service has provided a wealth of information to the community including:

• Annual Open Days - everyone is encouraged to pop into the fire shed for a free BBQ, jumping castle for the children and plenty of information about how fire can affect the village. Our local Firies are on hand to provide any assistance and information.
• Annual Information Day in the Wingello Village Hall. There is a presentation showing the history of fires and the specific impact fire has had on the village, especially the 1965 and 1998 fires. There are plenty of maps and photos letting everyone know how fire has hit Wingello hard in the past.
• Fire Plan kits - these are available from the fire station and at the Wingello Village Store. It contains lots of essential information about preparing your home and property, appropriate protective gear and equipment and plenty of information so everyone in Wingello can make an informed plan about how they will act when a fire approaches and hits.

This has been of immense help and the availability of the Wingello Rural Fire Brigade when anyone had a question has been superb. There is really no excuse for a Wingello resident to not know what to do in case of fire.

This was a prelude on New Year's Eve

Local Preparedness was OK

You can see the effectiveness by the number of houses that were prepared in accordance with the RFS information bulletins. This ramped up after the preview we had on New Year's eve when the town filled with heavy smoke and the threat of fire was just on the other side of the Shoalhaven Gorge.
When the threat warning for the 4th January arrived, a much greater proportion of the village activated their fire plan and relocated for the night. Those left were better prepared to face the expected ember attack with appropriate masks, goggles and protective gear.
We did not know that the fire had a new attack plan.
These posts describe some glimpses of the defence of Wingello that night:
Our Slice of the Fight for Wingello
Not on my Watch!
Dogged Defence
The village's defences could have been better in a number of instances, but for all we could do we had one limiting factor.

Wingecarribee Shire Council is Culpably Negligent

At this point we can see what we as a village did on the night and beforehand.
However, as we look at the drone footage and get a better look at what the fire actually did on the night, we can see the impact of many decisions that were out of our control.
The Wingecarribee Shire Council knows we are in a high fire risk Shire. We know because they put lots of conditions and charges on anyone building here.

Do you have a plan?

Yet, while they are very quick to put restrictions and conditions on residents, they have done very little on their side to prepare. When the fires struck, they had NO plan as to what they should do once fires struck. The Shire has had fires many times over the years and we are firmly encouraged to have a fire plan, yet the council had NONE.
To use an analogy, consider what a responsible person does that needs a car for work. You ensure that you maintain the car, you put aside an emergency fund in case something serious happens to the car and you have a plan in case the car breaks down. That is what a responsible person does.
Yet, our council, whilst knowing we are in a high fire risk area and we have had bushfires hit in the past had NO plan, NO reserves and NO idea what to do.
Our first exposure to the Council's poor response was when we started receiving lots of donations of food and clothing for those in the village that had lost so much. The Council made us fight to be able to use the hall. Once we gained access to the hall, we were able to distribute the donations - and even more importantly - use the opportunity to connect with fellow villagers and discuss each other's experiences on the night and subsequent days. The added stress of fighting for access did not help.
Then as we looked at the drone footage of the village taken four weeks after the fire (Wingello Fire - 4 Weeks On) we realised the second part of the problem.
The Council's policies had made the village extremely vulnerable to fire, despite our best efforts at preparation. When you look at the overhead footage, you can see the fire rushing into the village like fingers of fiery death straight into the heart of the village. The fire embraced the unmaintained roadside verge greedily spreading the fire onwards and then attacked the neighbouring homes.
In the last few years the council has put in specific policies that contribute to their culpable negligence and effectively attempted to make Wingello a fiery death trap.

Is this really an accidental policy decision?

1. In the past, Wingello residents cleaned up the roadside verges, using the continual dropped branches and so on for firewood for our wood heaters. This is now forbidden unless a permit is given. Yet the Council will not do the required maintenance themselves. The amount of fuel that is in front of each resident's home is fearful.
2. Back yard burning of excess plant matter has been a traditional method of keeping our properties clean. This was banned unless the property was over 1 acre, which meant the majority of the village was not allowed to do back yard burns. The fortnightly green bins are insufficient for the plant matter that is generated by the amount of trees in the village. Otherwise we are recommended to take the waste to the recycling centre - for a fee - 50 km away.
3. Fighting to clear away trees on our property is expensive. $100 for the first tree and $50 for each additional tree just for the application. Then the council arborist visits and while taking no personal or corporate responsibility for the impact if a tree falls or causes damage, dictates whether the tree can be removed, or trimmed or must stay. If you wish to complain, land owners must take the council to court. Although this council always complains about lack of money, there always seems to be enough money for legal actions.

This is our exit route.

We are extremely fortunate to have such effective local Rural Fire Brigades in Wingello and Penrose. When trees fall, the brigades are very quick to clean up the trees so access can be maintained. Unfortunately, the council insists fallen branches be placed in a fuel pile next to the road. They have banned us from using the downed trees and branches yet will not step in and do the necessary maintenance themselves.
All this information has been provided to the Wingecarribee Shire Council councillors and General Manager weeks ago. Other than talk, we are still in the same situation, but with the added burden of over 250 trees that are fire damaged inside the village.
But, they tell us, It's OK. The Council is on it.

Wingello Fire - 4 weeks on

That's a lot of burnt trees

You can see how the fire raced into Wingello

In order to reflect on Wingello four weeks after the fire raced through on 4 January, I was able to get some drone footage of the village from a good friend. This was taken on Wednesday 29th January and nothing has changed since then. I have loaded the higher quality photos here so you can click them to see the larger versions.
Looking at the extent of burned trees and their pincer like thrusts in to the village I am more convinced than ever that naming this "The Miracle of Wingello" is pretty accurate.
The people of Wingello are doing their best to recover from the night of fire. Those who have lost houses are understandably keeping to themselves as they work through all their options and plans for the coming months and years. Many in the village have been doing their best to give them all the help they can.
Those who lost almost everything except for their houses are also finding things difficult.
A lot of assistance is either means tested or depends on you losing the house. Others have quite a few hoops or conditions.
Thankfully, St Vincent De Paul Society and The Lions Club have been very helpful with great person to person financial assistance, and other local people based charities are also stepping in to help with practical support.
In the coming months, especially once the rains return, we have offers of help from many people to provide the labour we need to rebuild and replant and revitalise Wingello.
Have a good look at these photos to see what a close call we had on 4 January.